Construction for spacing rosary or other beads on a closed link chain



y 14, 1958 J. J. DOWLING 3,382,589

CONSTRUCTION FOR SPACING ROSARY OR OTHER BEADS ON A CLOSED LINK CHAIN Filed Nov. 30, 1965 \NVENTO R.

United States Patent 3,382,589 CONSTRUCTION FOR SPACING ROSARY OR OTHER BEADS ON A CLOSED LINK CHAIN James Joseph Dowling, 73 St. Declan Road, Marino, Dublin, Ireland Filed Nov. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 510,607 Claims priority, application Ireland, Dec. 3, 1964, 1,262/ 64 6 Claims. (Cl. 35-23) This invention relates to an improved bead construction, particularly, rosary beads, bead necklaces, bead bracelets and thelike.

In a conventional hand-made rosary bead, each bead is mounted on a separate length of wire which has its ends looped and turned into a diametrical passage or through-passage in the bead, and the loops between adjacent beads of the decades are interengaged. The other elements of the rosary beads, namely, the paters, junction piece and crucifix, are usually connected in their appropriate positions by lengths of open link chain, each link of which is formed from a separate length of wire bent to form a pair of loops lying in planes disposed at 90 to each other. It is known, however, to utilize closed link chain and jump rings to connect the paters, junction piece and crucifix in the better quality rosaries. Either construction involves slow and tedious operations and results in a very weak article.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the combinations and improvements pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved bead construction. A more particular object of my invention is to provide a construction of rosary beads, bead necklaces, bead bracelets or the like which can be carried out with ease, speed and reliability to provide an article of satisfactory strength in use.

According to my invention, in an article of the kind consistingof a number of beads threaded on a stringing member along which the beads are spaced in a desired pattern, the stringing member comprises a closed link chain, e.g., a soldered link chain, and each head is located in position on the chain by the links adjacent the through passage or bore in the head, which links are expanded to an extent to prevent movement of the bead past either of the expanded links.

Preferably the links of the closed link chain are of rectangular configuration. Expansion of the links can be effected 'by a suitably pointed hand tool or a pointed tool may be erected on a bench so that the link to be expanded can be pressed down over the point of the tool by manual or mechanical means.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of two beads strungon a closed link chain, the beads being shown in section, and

FIGURE 2 is a view of a jump ring connecting the end link of a closed link chain to a metal cap on the top of a crucifix.

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Referring to FIGURE 1, each bead 1 and 2 has a bore 3 which permits them to be strung on a closed link chain 4, the links being of substantially rectangular configuration. To fix the bead 1 in position on the chain, link 5 as shown has been deformed to expand it to an extent which prevents this head moving to the left along the chain. It will be understood that the link (not shown) at the right hand end of the head 1 has already been similarly deformed to prevent the bead 1 moving to the right along the chain. When the bead 2 is strung on the chain to abut the expanded link 5, the spreading of the sides of the link 6 in the direction indicated by the arrows will expand this link to an extent sufficient to prevent movement of the bead 1 towards the left along the chain. Thus, by virtue of their expansion or distortion the links 5 and 6 adjacent the ends of the bore in the bead 2 serve to locate the bead on the chain.

FIGURE 2 shows a jump ring 7 used to connect the end link 8 of a closed link chain to a metal cap 9 fitted to the top of a crucifix, the cap 9 having an integral lug 10 formed with a through-passage in which the jump ring 7 is engaged. Similar jump rings may be used in connection with the junction piece of a rosary beads or the clasp elements of a necklace or bracelet embodying the invention.

In applying the invention to the construction of a rosary beads, a length of closed link chain carrying the five decades and four paters which have been located in their appropriate positions by the requisite expansion of certain links, may then be connected by two jump rings to the junction piece which in turn is connected by another jump ring to a length of closed link chain on which the usual five beads are fixed in their desired positions by expansion of the appropriate links, a further jump ring being used to attach the crucifix.

This invention elfects a considerably saving in time and expense in the manufacture of rosary beads, bead necklaces, bead bracelets and the like whilst ensuring a far stronger and more durable article.

The chain links may also be of oval configuration and the chain itself is made of a metal permitting easy enlargement of its links, e.g., copper, brass, soft steel, etc., wire.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific combinations and improvements described, but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of the kind consisting of a number of beads threaded on a stringing member along which the beads are spaced in a desired pattern wherein the stringing member comprises a closed link chain and each bead is located in position on the chain by the closed links adjacent the ends of the through-passage or bore in the head, which last mentioned links are expanded to have a transverse dimension larger than the maximum transverse dimension of said bore to prevent movement of the :bead past either of the expanded links.

2. An article according to claim 1 wherein the closed link chain is a soldered link chain.

3. An article according to claim 1 in which the pattern of the beads is that of a conventional rosary beads, one

length of chain carrying the five decades and four paters having its ends connected to the junction piece by jump rings, and another length carrying the two pater and three ave beads having one end connected by a jump ring to the junction piece and the other end connected by a jump ring to the crucifix.

4. An article as claimed in claim 1 in which the links of the closed link chain are of rectangular configuration.

5. An article as claimed in claim 1 in which the links of the closed link chain are of oval configuration.

6. An article as claimed in claim 1 in which the bead is of a length which approximates to the length of three successively engaged links of the chain.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,375,176 4/1921 Richards 63-2 FOREIGN PATENTS 488,481 12/ 1952 Canada.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE OF THE KIND CONSISTING OF A NUMBER OF BEADS THREADED ON A STRINGING MEMBER ALONG WHICH THE BEADS ARE SPACED IN A DESIRED PATTERN WHEREIN THE STRINGING MEMBER COMPRISES A CLOSED LINK CHAIN AND EACH BEAD IS LOCATED IN POSITION ON THE CHAIN BY THE CLOSED LINKS ADJACENT THE ENDS OF THE THROUGH-PASSAGE OR BORE IN THE BEAD, WHICH LAST MENTIONED LINKS ARE EXPANDED TO HAVE A TRANSVERSE DIMENSION LARGER THAN THE MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF SAID BORE TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF THE BEAD PAST EITHER OF THE EXPANDED LINKS. 